It’s no surprise these days that women’s wages are essential to their families and our economy. That’s why, as our #WhatMothersNeed week of action continues, we’re talking about the urgent need for fair pay.

There is a reason many of us bristle at the thought of what the nation's workplaces were like for women during the Mad Men era: the almost universal recognition that it was a time when sexism was rampant, when women were routinely devalued, disrespected and blatantly discriminated against.

1963 was a year of great change for our country. Martin Luther King, Jr., said the words “I Have A Dream,” President John F. Kennedy and civil rights activist Medgar Evers were assassinated, Betty Friedan’s Feminine Mystique first hit bookstore shelves and the Equal Pay Act was signed into law.

Monday marks the 50th anniversary of the Equal Pay Act — a 1963 law aimed at closing the gap between the wages of men and women. But, despite this landmark law, a significant gender-based wage gap persists.

“For everything you’ve taught me…” “For always being there…” “For all the sacrifices you’ve made… thanks, Mom.” These and messages like them are what mothers across the country will be reading in greeting cards and hearing from loved ones this weekend. But, for mothers who hold jobs, one reality is missing from these heartfelt sentiments.